Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-07-13
GEN. LEW WALLACE.
A Talk with the Gallant Soldier and
- Author Of "Ben Hur."

Author OF ''B0n Hur."
n Especial Correspondence
r INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, July 4.
Gen. Lew Wallace, the well known volun-
teer soldier and author, who resides in Craw-
louisville, this state, has recently been in WASH
ington looking up with great care the records
that pertain to his connection with the war Of
the rebellion. When questioned in regard to
what he discovered he was very reticent, and
only said: "Ihaven'ta word to say at present.
I have found great deal and have been
much interested, but do not desire to talk
about it. The general in the field knows very
little of the official record that is being made.
He knoys what dispatches he sends himself,
and he knows what orders he receives, and
that is all. I have now been seeing what the
others have written as well"
When asked whether he is now engaged in
literary pursuits he replied:
II have no other business than literature at
present."
"Have you any finished work"
"Yes; have two dramas One is five act
piece in imitation Of the classics, and the
other is four act American drama"
"Do you intend to put these on the stagei"
"No; think not. certainly shall take no
trouble to hunt up managers. The plays are
adapted for acting, to be sure. Before began
to write them ! obtained diagram Of the
stage Of a big New York theatre and wrote
with reference to it. But the modern manager
does not not have to buy dramas. He can get
them for nothing, or next to nothing He
pretends to write them himself In other
words, he has them adapted from the French.
They are put on the stage, and by means of a
systematic putting and advertising they are
brought into certain degree of public favor.
am told that a manager came to MIR. w. D.
Howells recently and asked him to write q
play.
"'Yes, l think know what you want,
said Howells, and will undertake to write it,
"'What will it cost mer asked the man.
ager.
I shall want 81, 0O0,' said Mr.. Howells.
THE manager did not wait to say another
word. He simply retreated in confusion.
What did he want Of Howells after that3
why, he could get all the pieces he wanted
Tor mere trifle. he expected Howells
would say that tho drama would cost him
$50 or 500. He might possibly have drawn
a large breath and paid 5000 But 81. OO0l
only think Of it. He couldn't be fooling
money away after that fashion. Yet a play
that is worth putting upon the stage at oil
ought to be worth several times that sum- 1t
ought not to take very long to make man.
ayers understand this. but in the present state
OF public feeling and the present methods of
management they will not understand it.n
when did the idea first strike you. Gen
Wallace, of writing novels"
II began The Fair God when I was is
years old. Mexico and her history has al
ways had a charm for me. began this book
and then went to the Mexican war rs n
soldier. and fought over the ground / had
thought 80 much about. When returned
took up the thread Of the story and fin
ished it.
Ben Hur' is now seven years old, and vet
it continues to sell. That story went yery
curiously. 1t did not sell SO much the first
year as the second That is something rather
unusual, l am told, in a story. The public
didn't seem to understand what it was ex-
actly when it was first published But it is
certainly going very nicely now"
Don't You attribute portion of its sue
cess TO the fact Of its semi religious ma
ture.'
Il certainly do. think great many peo
pie read it who do not read novels generally.
You know it is said that large element in
John B. Coughs success lay in the fact that
10 had power as an actor. People who
ieVer thought OF attending theatre would
listen to Cough with great pleasure"
Had you ever been in the Holy Land when
you wrote your book"
mo. sir. l finished Ben Hur' in the old
palace of the Montezumas, at Santa Fe New
Mexico, when was governor of that terri.
tory. l worked with a large map of the
country before me. studied every point
and carried my characters from place to place
with great care. I read all the books I couh
get hold OF on the nature Of the country and
The habits OF the people, and, finally, when 1
was minister to Turkey I decided to 90 to |
Palestine and Jerusalem to see il there were |
any portions of the book that ought to be re- |
written"
"Did you find anyp
u found there was not single word could
change. 1t was just as wanted it. There
We're, indeed, some very striking condolences.
l rode out from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and
leaving my horse, walked back. All this
ground had described infinitely by studying
my map for the geography and studying
books OF travel for the Topography. At
certain point in the book describe the mother
and sister Of my hero, who were lepers as
taking refuge in tomb and waiting for the
coming OF Jesus. When reached the proner
point IN the journey, sure enough, there was
the Tomb as had described. had also de-
'ciloed these women as having sat by the
"ayside on big white stone. Even the stone
was there' The description which had given
d the view from the Mount of Olives, across
me valley OF kedron, was as good as / could
AYE ~ "Fi''eh as sat there and actually saw
I" GEORGE A. ROBERTSON.